Dezzy Khirallah is 10 years old and a very zany person. He LOVES to make other people laugh. He does a lot of different activities besides school. His favorite activity is rock climbing (which he is getting really good at). He also swims competitively, and plays the electric guitar and viola. Dez loves spending time with all of his friends, they enjoy playing anywhere and all enjoy playing Minecraft together. Dez once built a giant restaurant in Minecraft that looks like the Steve character barfing real lava (pouring down) into a bucket. He also can be clumsy at times and once ran full speed into a stop sign and now has a scar on his head, and no, not like Harry Potter’s. Peace out!
What made you choose to focus on fish for our Go Wild issue?
The reason I focused on fish for this assignment is because most people assume that fish are just for eating but they are wrong. Fish are the biggest part of the earth’s ecosystem and lifecycle. Without fish it would be much harder to survive. There are so many different types of fish and we don’t want any of these magnificent creatures to get extinct.
I wanted to bring attention to some endangered fish because it is not only the cute and furry animals that are disappearing. I love looking at fish tanks and watching the different fish swim, one day I hope to have a great variety of fish in my own aquarium. I wondered if any fish species were endangered and I learned that 1,616 fish species are at risk for extinction, 989 are endangered, and 627 are critically endangered. This makes me feel very upset. They are endangered because humans are polluting the oceans, overfishing, and killing the reefs as the oceans are getting too warm. I suggest we start eating fish that are easier to repopulate. We need to stop our trash from getting into the ocean and use more boats and technology and clean up the trash that is in our oceans, rivers, and lakes. I don’t know how we can help bring the reefs back to life because I don’t know how to stop global warming easily but I heard that “green” energy will help, like using bikes instead of gas driven cars to get around when we can. One source claimed that the following fish were the top ten most endangered species: 10- Atlantic Halibut. 9- Beluga Sturgeon. 8- Acadian Redfish. 7- Winter Skate. 6-Orange Roughy. 5- Bocaccio Rockfish. 4- European Eel. 3-Goliath Grouper. 2-Maltese Ray. 1-Bluefin Tuna.
What is your favorite topic to study in school?
My favorite subject in school is music because it sounds awesome and I am good at it.
What is the most interesting thing you recently learned?
The most interesting thing I’ve recently learned was how to play Pirates of the Caribbean on the electric guitar.
What book are you currently reading or read most recently? Would you recommend this book to other readers?
The book series I just finished reading is the Wild Robot. I would recommend this book because you usually don’t know what is going to happen next, five out of five stars.
We featured your artwork in our very first issue, Magical Winter! It's wonderful to see that your interest in art has continued. What first got you interested in drawing and creating art? What is your favorite thing to draw? How does creating art make you feel?
One thing that got me into art was my family. I saw how a lot of people in my family were so good at art and that inspired me to draw too.
My favorite thing to draw changes a lot. First I loved drawing trains, then Pokémon; dinosaurs; Super Mario characters; Minecraft characters; then fish; and occasionally trains at intervals in between, basically whatever I am interested in at the time.
Creating art makes me feel happy and excited because I can draw what I see without tracing. I always can’t wait for my art piece to be done so I can start another.
What is your favorite animal?
My favorite animal is a duck.
Do you have any suggestions for fellow kids on how they can help protect animals and wildlife habitats? What are some things you and your family do to care for animals and the natural world?
My suggestion for other kids to help animals and wild habitats is to try to use less disposable bags, paper bags are okay because they can be recycled. Also try to throw away less food.
My family and I can help by continuing to recycle, not wasting food, and driving less so that we don't waste gasoline.
I don’t know which I like more — your talent in art or your love for our planet and creatures!
Very nice! Keep up caring for the environment!